Family Law Autumn Update 2025

KEY SUBJECTS

• FINANCIAL REMEDY UPDATE
• PRIVATE LAW UPDATE
• TO ENFORCE OR NOT TO ENFORCE AND HOW BEST TO DO SO IF NEEDS BE?
• A WHISTLE STOP TOUR DE-MYSTIFYING NCDR AND INTEGRATING IT INTO YOUR PRACTICE
• SCHEDULE ONE: FINANCIAL PROVISION FOR CHILDREN OF UNMARRIED PARENTS

SPEAKERS

Lucy Loizou, Managing Partner, The International Family Law Group LLP

Michael Allum, Partner, The International Family Law Group LLP

Katharine Bundell, Barrister, 4PB Chambers

Cerys Sayer, Barrister, Westgate Chambers

Rebecca Hawkins, Director, Mediator, Collaborative Solicitor and Arbitrator

PROGRAMME

CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION

FINANCIAL REMEDY UPDATE

This session will provide practical updates in respect of financial remedy case law over the last 12 months. To ensure the content is both topical and relevant the issues to be covered will be determined nearer the time but are likely to include:

• Division of capital on divorce
• Agreements
• Non Marital Property to include pre-marital assets and consideration of the case of Standish
• Maintenance
• Special Contribution and Compensation
• Valuations and the courts approach
• Conduct
• Disclosure
• Costs
• Practical miscellaneous judgments

Lucy Loizou, Managing Partner, The International Family Law Group LLP

Michael Allum, Partner, The International Family Law Group LLP

PRIVATE LAW UPDATE

This session is designed to keep specialist family practitioners fully informed of the latest developments in private family law. It will cover:

• The most useful recent case law including a more in depth look at the changing landscape on costs in private law proceedings
• New guidance from Cafcass, Family Justice Council and others
• An update on hair testing
• The hot topics which are making the weather in this area

Katharine Bundell, Barrister, 4PB Chambers

TO ENFORCE OR NOT TO ENFORCE AND HOW BEST TO DO SO IF NEEDS BE?

How disappointing for our lay clients to learn that the final order is not necessarily the end of their financial remedy journey when faced with non-compliant ex-partners.

This session is aimed at trying to anticipate and prevent the need for enforcement where possible and how to tackle it when needs must.

Practical points will include:

• Which parts of a final financial remedy order can be enforced
• The different types of enforcement applications.
• The various methods by which we can enforc.
• How to recoup costs

The talk will also provide an enforcement case law update and helpful take away tips.

Cerys Sayer, Barrister, Westgate Chambers

A WHISTLE STOP TOUR DE-MYSTIFYING NCDR AND INTEGRATING IT INTO YOUR PRACTICE

This talk will look at how to make NCDR work for you and your clients, leading to better outcomes.

• How to explain it to your clients
• Understanding the different approaches
• Thinking about when to introduce NCDR

Rebecca Hawkins, Director, Mediator, Collaborative Solicitor and Arbitrator

SCHEDULE ONE: FINANCIAL PROVISION FOR CHILDREN OF UNMARRIED PARENTS

This is often described as the Cinderella of applications: it is often ignored and overlooked but can be beautifully helpful.

This session is for specialist family practitioners and encompasses:

• The statutory framework of Schedule 1
• The salient cases
• The most recent important cases
• Some modest asset cases
• Practice points to help you both run and defend a Schedule 1 case

Katharine Bundell, Barrister, 4PB Chambers

CLOSE OF PROCEEDINGS